Sedona Arizona Inspiration!

Happy to be Home!  I just got back last night from a week in Flagstaff, AZ.  A successful business trip!  Now I need to get back to the real business of quilting ;]  Arrived in Flagstaff Sunday morning at 11am so I took a drive down to Sedona which took about an hour.  Must have been a cyclists convention or something cause there were a lot of people on the beautiful winding road to Sedona.  

I went to the Quilter's Store Sedona while I was there, course.  Bought some goodies and saw some really unique pieces made by a local quilter Mary Jardine.   I love how her embellishments jump right off the piece.  My photography skills don't do it justice, but you can get the idea.  These pieces are all for sale at the shop. 

She is also featured at http://www.jeromecoop.com/index.html

Here were some quilt inspiring statues I found in a shopping center, while looking for food!  

I ended up eating at Oaxaca...yum!

Here are some goodies I picked up at the Quilt Store.  I have never seen a threader for embroidery needles.  Kind of interesting.  I'll let you know how it works out.

Also this yo-yo style Kanzashi flower maker.  They had some lovely little Kanzashi samples there, I cant wait to try it out.

I worked so much all week that I didn't get to explore much of Flagstaff.  I did find out that the quilt store that was there had to close ;[ very sad.

I did find some interesting food though.

Native New Yorker  (funny website too)- I had Baked Penne and a Bacon Fried Sunday.  Yes, Don't knock it til you tried it!  Vanilla Ice Cream with ...wait for it... Chicken Fried Bacon.  I got it to go and they put it all in separate containers.  I crumbled the bacon (did i mention the bacon was chicken fried by the way) on the ice cream and drizzled a little maple syrup and oh wow.   My heart literally skipped a beat (could be the cholesterol).  It was phone home good.  I had to tell my hubby about it, being the bacon guy that he is.

Thurdsay night I went exploring in downtown and ended up at Criollo   The food was so good.  I had the seasonal fish, which i believe was Halibut.

seared seasonal fish ~ smoked tomato risotto, coconut-ginger sauce, Calabrian chili oil, cilantro-macadamia nut pesto

   The presentation was beautiful and I would have taken a picture but it disappeared before I thought of it... and by then it was half eaten so I thought, too bad soo sad!  Of all the choices on the list of places to eat the "sustainable" caught my eye.  I like companies that are conscious of their community and the environment.  I can't say that I only frequent them, but it makes me more likely to be a patron.  Good job Croillo!

Sorry I was so verbose this time.  I have so much to share and feel like I've been away alot.

Hope you were inspired to quilt (or eat) this weekend!

Love Aunti

Nothing Like a little Down Time

Sometimes you just have to take some time to clear your head from daily stresses of life.  Find a comfy spot and take a nap.

But when you can't seem to stop your mind from spinning, here is a cool new artistic outlet.  Its called ZenTangle and its a really fun kind of meditation and kinda quiltish.  

Yesterday Mom and  I were visiting our friend Sharla at her place Soft Expressions and she was telling me about ZenTangle.  http://zentangle.com/gallery.php

So this is my first attempt and I can tell its going to be a bit addictive.  I did this one in a few hours while listening to a couple of movies.  I would say watching but I didn't look up much.  

(8.5" x 5.5" Watercolor paper, the smudgie look is my poor photography and a little because I am left handed and that is just how we roll.)

I can totally see this pouring into my quilting creativity.  I have been working on for a few months that kind reminds me of this.  I'll show it soon, once I get to a stopping spot.

So what I want to know is, do you Tangle?

Talk to me,

Aunti Nic

Don't it make you want to Appliqué

On Saturday, my girlfriend Dione came over to go to road with me.  She brought me flowers just because.  They are the most unusual flowers that I've seen in a bouquet, but just gorgeous.  This big flower in the middle looks like a head of lettuce, but with sparkles.  There are actually little pointy tips on the ends of the leaves like beading.  The combinations of purples and greens, just lovely!

And ...I'm choppin broccoli!  No really these look like broccoli's pretty cousin broccolette!

And then this week I also received flowers from my bosses, Kanwar and Anthony.  

As a thank you and well wishes.  

I received the flowers yesterday and so they were in my house all day.  When I got home, I could smell them the minute I walked in.  They are the most fragrant flowers.

I am so inspired to appliqué I can't wait to get some free time to do it. Perhaps in my near future! ;]

Special thanks to my friends and family for making me feel so special and continuing to inspire me!

Love
Nicole